For doctors and health-care providers working in rural and remote communities, travelling to larger cities for advanced training is not always possible.
A new virtual pilot program is designed to help bridge that gap.
The Rural Anatomy Broadcast livestreams teaching sessions from UBC’s Gross Anatomy Lab directly to rural clinicians across British Columbia. Through live, interactive sessions, participants can review anatomy, ask questions, and strengthen their skills—all without leaving their communities.
While urban clinicians can often access specialists with a phone call or hallway consult, in rural settings, clinicians may be the only provider available. Rural practitioners need a broad range of skills and the confidence to act quickly in urgent situations. The Rural Anatomy Broadcast supports that need by bringing advanced, practical learning directly to them.
“This work focuses on connecting tertiary academic expertise with rural clinical realities,” says Dr Claudia Krebs, professor of teaching at UBC and the initiative’s lead. “By bringing anatomy education directly into rural practice settings, we are creating a shared learning space that recognizes local expertise and supports confident, timely decision-making.”
Anatomy in Action: The Vanderhoof Pilot
Before launching the pilot, initiative leads, Dr Krebs, Dr John Pawlovich, UBC rural doctors’ chair and medical lead of the Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS) program, and Sean Maurice, assistant professor in the division of medical sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), consulted with rural physicians to ensure training addressed local practice realities, not just academic examples.
The program’s inaugural broadcast in November 2025 from Vanderhoof showed the pilot’s potential. About 70 registrants attended the first session, including a significant number of medical students from UBC’s Northern Medical Program.
During the session, local family physician Dr Rebecca Janssen partnered virtually with Dr Krebs and Dr Mikaela Stiver, assistant professor of teaching at UBC. Together they guided participants through a chest tube insertion, a life-saving emergency procedure that rural physicians may need to perform without immediate specialist support.
“In a rural setting, you may be the only physician available,” says Dr Janssen, who has practiced rural medicine in Vanderhoof for 14 years. “A strong understanding of anatomy and the confidence to act quickly are essential, because patient care cannot be delayed.”
The session combined a close at human anatomy with discussion about how the procedure is performed in smaller hospitals and clinics. Participants were encouraged to ask questions and share their experiences.
Innovation Through Collaboration
The Rural Anatomy Broadcast is delivered by the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine with funding from the UBC Strategic Investment Fund, and additional support from the Rural Education Action Plan (REAP) and the UBC Rural Doctors’ Chair. The Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) supports the initiative by sharing it through rural networks and connecting clinicians to learning opportunities. RCCbc, REAP, and the Rural Doctors’ Chair are funded by the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC), a partnership between Doctors of BC and the Government of British Columbia.
“This broadcast shows what is possible when education is designed around rural practice environments,” says Dr Pawlovich. “It expands access to training while remaining closely aligned with the realities rural clinicians navigate every day.”
For Dr Janssen, the value of the broadcast is also personal. “Being able to access this level of education without leaving your community, even over a lunch break, is transformative,” she says. “It keeps care local and reduces time away from patients and family.”
Strengthening the Rural Network
Beyond technical training, the pilot initiative creates a shared virtual learning space that connects clinicians across geography and practice settings.
A second broadcast focussed on pediatric intubation was held in Hazelton on January 30, led by rural physician Dr Hesham Saïd.
To receive updates on future broadcasts, email communications@rccbc.ca with “Rural Anatomy Broadcast” in the subject line.
About this project:
The Rural Anatomy Broadcast is funded by a Strategic Investment Grant from the UBC Faculty of Medicine and supported by the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC), one of four Joint Collaborative Committeesrepresenting a partnership between Doctors of BC and the Government of BC. Partners in this work include University of British Columbia, University of Northern British Columbia, Rural Coordination Centre of BC and Real-Time Virtual Support peer pathways, along with the participation of rural and Indigenous communities across British Columbia.